Decorative laundry dryer

ABSTRACT

A decorative laundry dryer employs warm air from a household heating duct as the drying medium. A cabinet is positioned such that warm air passes therethrough from the duct, the cabinet having forward and side walls. Strand means for supporting the fabrics to be dried extend between the side walls, and a drip pan is located therebelow. The upper portion of the cabinet defines a well receiving a planter or other decoration.

Unlted States Patent 11 1 111 3,866,336 Bereza Feb. 18, 1975 [5DECORATIVE LAUNDRY DRYER 2,852,861 9/1958 161 611 1. 34/163 Inventor:Helen D. Bereza Route X 3 3,152,876 10/1964 Lalng 34/151 wausaukee, w54177 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 917,079 12/1946 France 34/163 [22]Wed 1974 691,861 5/1953 Great Britain 34/163 [21] Appl No.: 460,495

Primary Examinerl(enneth W. Sprague Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung[52] US. Cl 34/201, 34/163, 3341223339, Attorney, Agent or Firm Roben G.MCMOUOW [51] Int. Cl. F26b 19/00 T [58 Field of Search 34/88, 104, 151,163, 201, L 1 l d AESTRAC l f 0, ecoratlve aun ly ryer emp warrn all romhousehold heatmg duct as the drymg medrum. A cablnet 1s posmoned suchthat warm arr passes there- .1561 21136;3 $61222111635333?6523;211:121UNITED STATES PATENTS be dried extend between the side walls, and a drippan 5 3 is located therebelow. The upper portion of the cabiu eson.....1,979514 11/1934 Wilson D D 34/88 pigtndefines a well recewmg a planteror other decora 2,091,746 8/1937 Wiley 34/90 2,773,314 12/1956 Gauff34/163 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 DECORATIVE LAUNDRY DRYER BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION Patent No. Patentee Issue Date 2,377,255 McCauley May29, 1945 2,470,646 Richardson May 17, 1949 2,715,284 Molina Aug. 16,1955 2,718,070 Wendeborn et al. Sept. 20, 1955 3,152,876 Laing Oct. 13,1964 3,256,617 Konstandt June 21, 1966 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention provides a dryer for small to medium quantities oflaundry which, while fulfilling the above referred to objectives ofenergy conservation and humidification of air, additionally conceals thelaundry and the heating element from view, thereby enhancing roomappearance. This avoids the cluttered and unkempt view occasioned, oftenin apartments and small homes, by suspending lingerie, stockings andother laundered items from towel racks and shower bars for drying.

Employment of the present invention obviates the need for operation oflarge electrical or gas dryers particularly during cold weather therebyfurther effecting savings in energy.

The invention embodies a cabinet structure having an open or recessedback into which air from a heating duct or register is introduced, andhaving a louvered front wall through which the humidified air isexpelled after passage about the wet laundry.

The cabinet structure is suitably fabricated to provide a well formounting of a planter or the like thus further enhancing its decorativefunction.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing specification when read in conjunction with the annexeddrawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view ofa decorative laundry dryer constructed and assembled in accordance withthe teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 ofFIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view, partially broken away for disclosureof details;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the unit, brokenaway for reference to components and showing an alternate location ofthe drip pan in dotted lines; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 4 from above, takenon line 55 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing inmore detail, the first embodiment 10 of the invention is shown in FIGS.1 through 3. In the illustrated environment of use, the unit 10 isplaced, on the building floor 12, with its back against a wall 14. Thewall 14 has an opening 16 therein in which is mounted an outlet register18 of a warm air heating duct 20.

The unit 10 comprises a portable cabinet 22 having a forward wall 24 andopposite side walls 26 and 28. The forward wall has upper and lower endportions 30, 32 with substantially horizontal end edges. The side wallsare secured to the front wall, and have upper and lower end portions 34,36 and 38, 40 respectively. The lower end edges of the side walls aresubstantially horizontal, but the top end edges thereof are ofincreasing height from front to rear.

The interior of the cabinet 10 has a top wall 42 fixedly securedtherein. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the top wall is coextensive indepth with the side walls and spans the distance therebetween. The topwall is mounted at a location spaced downwardly from the upper endportions of the front and side walls and a back wall 44 projectsupwardly to the height of the rear ends of the side walls. Thus, theupper portions of the side walls and forward walls, the back wall andthe top wall define a well 46. This well is employed to house a planter48'or other optional decorations, conveniently mounted on the top wall,either removably or otherwise.

Means for support of the cabinet on a surface such as the floor 12 isprovided. Inasmuch as the device must be moved from time to time inorder to provide access to the laundry drying area thereof, the surfacesupport means may conveniently comprise a series of caster wheels'50.The wheels are of conventional form and are mounted on the lower endportions of the side walls. The cabinet has side lift handles 51 forconvenient movement from place to place.

Mounted on the side walls immediately above the surface support meansare brackets 52, 54. These brackets are here in the form of angle barsincluding inwardly projecting flat ledges 56, 58. Removably and slidablyseated on these ledges is an elongated drip pan having side and endflanges. The pan serves to avoid drippage by the laundry to the floorand may also be employed as a transport receptacle to carry the laundryto the drying cabinet from the washing area.

As noted, the back wall 44 of the cabinet terminates at the top wall 42,thereby leaving the main extent of the rear of the cabinet open orrecessed. The front wall 24 has a series of louvers 62 formed therein.Thus, air entering the cabinet at its open back, is expelled through thelouver openings.

Mounting means for positioning of the laundry suspension means isprovided. The mounting means, in the first form of the invention,comprises two series of hook members 64, 66. The members are fixedlysecured in a transverse line along the side wall 26, and the books 66are located in a co-aligned row on the wall 28. As shown in the drawing,these rows are adjacent the top wall 42.

The laundry is maintained in drying position on the drying strand means.The strand means shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 comprises a series of lines68 which extend between the respective aligned hooks of the rows 64 and66. It will beobserved ,that these are generally in alignment with thelouvers 62, and are arranged such that clothing C or other laundrysuspended therein is located in the normal path of air movement from theduct through the louver. V

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, componentscorresponding to those shown in the first described form of theinvention are identified by like reference characters, the letter abeing added for distinction. This form of the invention differs inrespect of the mountingmeans for the laundry suspension and in thedrying strand means. The mounting means 100 here comprises a series ofinterlocked, slidable channel members on each of the side walls. Theseinclude a first channel member 102 having a bight portion 104 and spacedapart arms 106, 108. The bight portions of the first channel members arefixed to the side walls with the pairs of arms 106, 108 projectingtoward one another. Smaller but otherwise identical second channelmembers 110 are captively, slidably engaged in the first channel membersfor a limited sliding movement. Complete withdrawal of the secondchannel members is obviated by suitable stop means not shown. A thirdpair of channel members 1 l2 completes the mounting means. Once again,these are reduced in vertical dimension so as to fit within the secondchannel members, and are prevented from full withdrawal therefrom. Thethird channel members therefore telescope in the second channel members,and the second channel members telescope into the first. This permitsthe clothes drying arrangement to be moved rearwardly from the cabinetfor convenient mounting of the clothing or other laundry thereon.

In a second form of the invention, the strand means comprises elongated,substantially cylindrical bars or rods 114 secured at their ends to thebight portions of the third channel members. These rods may beconveniently grasped and pulled or pushed in order to effect the inwardor outward movement of the laundry.

Operation of the device merely involves placement of the laundry on thedrying strand means, the air from the duct passing through the register,about the clothing and out the louvers 62.

I claim:

1. Portable cabinet for use in association with a heating duct outlet ina building, warm air being emitted through'said heating duct outlet, thecabinet comprismg:

a cabinet forward wall, and cabinet side walls, each of said wallshaving opposite upper and lower end portions;

a top wall fixedly secured to the forward and side walls at a locationspaced downwardly from the upper end portions thereof, and a back wallprojecting upwardly from said top wall, the back wall and those portionsof the side and forward wall above the top wall defining a well adaptedto receive a decorative device;

surface support means on the side walls adjacent the lower end portionsthereof;

brackets on the side walls above the surface support means;

an elongated combined drip pan and laundry transport receptacleremovably seated on the brackets and spanning the distance between theside walls;

the forward wall having a' series of air passage louvers formed thereinbelow the top wall;

mounting means on each of the side walls in transverse co-alignment; and

a series of laundry drying strand means suspended between said mountingmeans, the warm air from said duct being directed about laundrysuspended on said laundry drying strand means and outwardly through saidair passage louvers.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein: the surface support means comprisecastor wheels.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

the mounting means comprises a series of hooks secured to the sidewalls; and

the laundry drying strand means comprise lines extending betweenrespective aligned pairs of hooks.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein:

the mounting means comprise a pair of first channel members each havinga bight portion and projecting side arms, the bight portions beingfixedly secured to the side walls with the side arms of each channelextending toward one another, a pair of second channel members slidablyengaged, respectively, in th first channel members for limitedmovementfa pair of third channel members slidably engaged, respectively,in the second channel members for limited sliding movement; and

the laundry drying strands comprising a series of rods fixedly securedat their ends to the third channel members.

1. Portable cabinet for use in association with a heating duct outlet ina building, warm air being emitted through said heating duct outlet, thecabinet comprising: a cabinet forward wall, and cabinet side walls, eachof said walls having opposite upper and lower end portions; a top wallfixedly secured to the forward and side walls at a location spaceddownwardly from the upper end portions thereof, and a back wallprojecting upwardly from said top wall, the back wall and those portionsof the side and forward wall above the top wall defining a well adaptedto receive a decorative device; surface support means on the side wallsadjacent the lower end portions thereof; brackets on the side wallsabove the surface support means; an elongated combined drip pan andlaundry transport receptacle removably seated on the brackets andspanning the distance between the side walls; the forward wall having aseries of air passage louvers formed therein below the top wall;mounting means on each of the side walls in transverse coalignment; anda series of laundry drying strand means suspended between said mountingmeans, the warm air from said duct being directed about laundrysuspended on said laundry drying strand means and outwardly through saidair passage louvers.
 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein: the surfacesupport means comprise castor wheels.
 3. The invention of claim 1,wherein: the mounting means comprises a series of hooks secured to theside walls; and the laundry drying strand means comprise lines extendingbetween respective aligned pairs of hooks.
 4. The invention of claim 1,wherein: the mounting means comprise a pair of first channel memberseach having a bight portion and projecting side arms, the bight portionsbeing fixedly secured to the side walls with the side arms of eachchannel extending toward one another, a pair of second channel membersslidably engaged, respectively, in the first channel members for limitedmovement, a pair of third channel members slidably engaged,respectively, in the second channel members for limited slidingmovement; and the laundry drying strands comprising a series of rodsfixedly secured at their endS to the third channel members.